Business water costs can be a significant burden on your finances, and with the prices constantly on the rise, it’s likely that they will continue to increase in the months and years to come.
Many businesses assume that there is little to no way to combat such a significant expense, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.
You can reduce business water costs while remaining completely legal.
Business Water 411 on How to Save Cost on Your Bills
When thinking about it in the business world, there are some simple ways to save money on your business water bill.
There seems to be more and more focus on businesses saving money on bills – but why stop there?
If you can save a little extra here and there, why not? After all, you can make more money if your business is efficient; that’s what makes a profit.
Money is owed to a company because they do something effectively instead of in a fashion that leads to waste.
- Get A Water Audit
Before you can even think about ways to save water, you will want to know your baseline. To do this, get an audit of your building to determine how much water you are currently using.
Although this may seem unnecessary, you can save quite a bit in the long term. In addition, this will allow you to track improvement and determine the high-use areas.
The best way to do this is by hiring a professional who will come out and take a look at your property and give you an estimate on what you can save. Some companies offer free audits, while others charge a fee for the service.
The money you save will depend on how much you use and spend on it. But it’s worth the investment if you’re looking to cut costs.
You can check Utility Bidder for more information if you want to know more.
- Review The Results, Create A Plan And Make Changes
Once you have determined how much water your business uses, it’s time to review the results and create a plan to help you reduce those costs.
You can use the results of your investigation to create a plan for reducing your water bill by up to 30%.
If you find that you have many leaks, make sure to fix each one as quickly as possible.
For example, if you find that most of the water used in your office building is wasted due to leaks or non-essential use, it’s time to fix those problems by repairing the leak or installing low-flow showerheads, etc.
- Invest In Water Saving Technology
Investing in water-saving technology will allow you to reduce your consumption, which will help keep your costs down.
A water meter is one of the best investments to save money on your bill. It provides real-time data about how much you use in different building areas.
So you can take action quickly if there’s an issue with leaks or other problems that cause excessive usage.
A smart meter also allows you to track usage over time, which helps identify patterns and trends, so you know where to focus attention when looking for ways to cut costs even further down the road.
- Check Your Toilets
Did you know? The toilet is the biggest user of water in most businesses, and this is because they are designed to be used a lot.
A single-flush toilet uses only about 1.6 gallons per flush, so if you’re used to flushing more than once, you could save a few hundred dollars per year by reducing your usage.
Thus, it accounts for over one-third of the average business water bill, and it’s not hard to see why.
They flush away waste and clean themselves as they go along. But if you have an unused old toilet for some time, it may leak and waste a large amount.
There are several ways that toilet leaks can waste water without you realizing it:
For example, the flapper valve may not close properly, allowing water to run into the bowl. A weak spring or worn-out flapper valve usually causes this.
Or, the float ball may have shifted out of position and isn’t shutting off the valve when it reaches its lowest point in the tank.
In addition, if you installed your toilet before 1992, there’s a chance it has an older style ballcock mechanism that doesn’t have an automatic shutoff device and needs manual adjustment from time to time.
- Fix Leaks Immediately
The average business can save a lot yearly by fixing water leaks.
Leaks are easy to identify. Just follow the water trail, and you will find them. Look for wet spots or stains on floors, walls, and ceilings.
One of the best ways to prevent leaks is to check your toilet regularly for running water.
You can do this by placing a few drops of food colouring in the tank. You have a tank leak if there are any coloured spots in the bowl after 10 minutes.
- Reduce Water Usage
The more you use, the higher your bill will be. So it’s essential to know how much water your business operates at each stage of the process.
But, if you don’t have a handle on this, start by tracking it for a month or two and see what you learn. You may be surprised by some of the results.
For example, if you’re using more than a gallon of water per employee daily, that might indicate that you need to adjust your cleaning methods or invest in new equipment.
If your employees work shifts, track usage over each change and daily use so you know where you can make improvements.
One of the easiest ways to reduce water consumption is installing low-flow showerheads and faucets. You can also install a water meter at each sink, which will help you track your usage.
You may also consider installing additional water-saving features such as rain barrels or greywater systems. These systems reuse water from showers or laundry for outdoor landscaping and gardening.
As an added benefit, less water will help prevent flooding during wet weather and reduce the risk of plumbing backups in your home or business.
- Consider Low Flow Landscaping
The landscaping around your business can significantly impact your water bill.
If your landscaping is overgrown and you don’t have a sprinkler system, you could waste a lot of money on water.
The easiest way to save money on your water bill is by using low-flow plants and flowers.
Low-flow plants will help create a more efficient landscape since they need less water than other plants.
You can also use drip irrigation systems to ensure the plants receive the moisture they need without wasting too much water.
Final Thoughts
Your business water bill is a significant expense you can reduce by making more intelligent decisions about water usage.
Save more money by checking out the guide above to help improve your bottom line.